The Jewish Reconstructionist Federation (JRF), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, based in Jenkintown, PA, conducted a Jewish educational survey among the Reconstructionist congregations with congregational schools. Thirty-three percent of these congregations responded. Ninety percent reported that: 1) the majority of their teachers have little or no professional experience, and 2) their educators need easy access to Jewish Reconstructionist educational materials. The respondents also stated that their curriculum changes on a regular basis and they need an evolving resource that also reflects the continuing changes in Jewish education.

To meet this need, JRF is developing this innovative educational project for Reconstructionist congregational schools. The web-based Reconstructionist Curriculum Resource Finder is an online interactive resource intended to serve teachers, parents, and education directors. It will provide a menu of suggested textbooks, story books, and eventually lesson plans, linking directly to the publishers, on each of the major topics taught in our schools. Each topic will be eventually be subdivided according to Reconstructionist educational goals. The Camp JRF curriculum will be integrated as well.

The first stage of the web-based Reconstructionist Curriculum Project, sponsored by a lead grant from Congregation Kehillat Israel, is intended to show how the resource will meet the needs of the more than 100 Reconstructionist congregations that need help identifying appropriate curriculum resources.

In developing this project, coordinators Rabbi Erin Hirsh, JRF Director of Education, and Lori Rubin, Co-chair of the Reconstructionist Educators of North America (RENA), have gone “out of the box” to develop a program which can have an immediate impact on congregational school content. Visitors to the web-based Reconstructionist Curriculum Finder will be encouraged to blog about each and every resource, sharing “best practices” in utilizing the resources for similar-size congregations, and providing data that can be used for project evaluation and improvement as the project expands. Visitors will also be able to upload their own or favorite resources to help the Curriculum Project resource evolve.

The impact this project can have on Reconstructionist Jewish education is profound. For further information, please contact Rabbi Erin Hirsh, Director of Education at 215-885-5601 x 16 or via email at ehirsh@jrf.org. Thank you for your consideration.